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A former farmer has set up a charity to help firearm owners seek mental health support without fear of having their guns taken away.
Glen Thurston started Mental Hunts after having his own firearms licence revoked when he sought mental health help in 2019.
Following the 2019 Christchurch terror attack, the government banned military-style semi-automatic weapons.
It then set up a gun registry, tightened licence rules, and enabled health workers to flag physical or mental health concerns which could result in suspension of a firearms licence.
Thurston said because of this, many licence holders were now reluctant to seek mental health help.
Glen Thurston said he felt like a burden on a farm when he lost his gun licence. Photo: Supplied/Mental Hunts
Through Mental Hunts he works to connect firearms holders with the help they need.
He had previously been to the doctor about his mental health, but 2019 was the first time he had been asked about firearms.
"And I was like, 'What? What does that got to do with anything? I've never been asked this question before'," he said.
"Long story short, I ended up having my licence revoked and you try farming without a firearms licence when you need to euthanise a cow or anything like that, or pest control.
"It really, really restricted me. I no longer farm. I became a bit of a burden. I felt like I became a bit of a burden on the farm, always needing to call them up if I needed to deal to a sick animal or anything like that."
Thurston said it made him feel like a criminal, damaging his mental health further.
He said things have improved for licence holders, thanks largely to the Firearms Safety Authority
The authority's senior partnerships adviser Kendra Hill said having a mental health condition did not automatically exclude a person from getting a licence.
"As part of the application process, we might ask for some supporting information from your health practitioner so that we can understand how the health condition might be managed to ensure that you and those around you are kept safe.
"There isn't an exhaustive list of health conditions relevant to safe use and possession of firearms. If we think that there is a concern for a person's safety, there's a range of different interventions that we can take.
"But what I want to emphasise is that the appropriate treatment and management of a physical or mental health condition is always gonna be preferable to suspension or loss of licence."
Hill also acknowledged the benefits from getting outside and going hunting with mates could do for a person's mental health.
The government has promised to reform the firearms system.
Potential changes are likely to be announced later in the year and go through Parliamentary processes during 2025-2026.
